Category Archives: internationalization

Post navigation

This is a post in the series about data as an asset, see previous posts here and here.

Ruby on Rails, ColdFusion, JSP, ASP, ASP.NET et al

All mainstream back-end application environments incorporate an internationalization framework with high level of abstraction both in terms of API calls that dispense with custom solutions as well as data access and structuring. These technologies support many locales out-of-the-box and facilitate the separation of application logic from data via external resources. Ruby uses YAML; ColdFusion, as a Java EE application, and JSP rely on resource bundles; ASP.NET dynamically compiles into resx assemblies.

This is a post in the series about data as an asset, see previous post here.

With a pure, client-side JavaScript, ActionScript, DHTML or Flash architecture, genuine data-driven structures cannot be implemented. Flash is a notable departure from these text-based scripting techniques as it is compiled for runtime. As a binary, it needs disassembly, and while the xml-based XFL interchange format is supported, it isn’t particularly well-fitted for localization.

Asynchronous technologies were devised before the turn of the millennium to address the issue of high traffic and mandatory reloads of dynamic websites. This evolution advanced hand-in-hand with the development of serialized, atomic data-oriented formats and systems that opened the gate for innovative services and laid the groundwork for the so-called Web 2.0. Data-driven architectures gave rise to the back-end/front-end dichotomy, which in turn allowed for a significant leap in complexity, design, modularity, and more recently, the integration of various platforms into a consolidated ecosystem. As a second instalment on internationalized web architectures, this post is still mainly concerned with the practical aspects. Later in the series, we will look into the ongoing transformation of technologies and talk about the change of mainstream attitude from well-defined to hybrid/fuzzy logic.

Think about data as locale-, scope and objective-invariant. The steep evolution of technology has finally allowed it to be managed as a strategic asset that combines every aspect of business – or at least in theory. Our current series of posts will take a look at what localization has to contribute, starting with the practical problem of optimizing web architectures.

There is a strong sense that the economic, cultural and political landscape is becoming more deeply integrated and interdependent. Nonetheless, the metrics and data collection frameworks for measuring the patterns and structures that are taking shape are still in development and being tested. Today, there is no consensus as to how globalization should be measured, let alone how pervasive the process is. Different schools attest to different views whether globalization has already rendered the world flat in terms of information, people and capital flow. Certain data points show that cross-border differences and locality play a more significant role than most of us would guesstimate:

International calls, including internet telephony lingers at only 6%;

The population of first generation immigrants still doesn’t exceed 3%;

Direct cross-border investments peaked at 9% in 2012;

The export/GDP ratio is at 30%; however, accounting for multiple counting of relations the number is likely around only 20%

Post navigation

espell LABS

Capitalizing upon the expertise accumulated over 30 years, espell LABS develops custom-tailored back-end architectures for partners and clients of espell in the areas of project management, software and localization engineering, machine translation solutions, DTP and quality assurance. We keep the concepts of interoperability and modularity in high esteem to ensure easy application of already established methods and tools to various scenarios.